Eribulin Mesylate or Paclitaxel as First- or Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent Stage IIIC-IV Breast Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To demonstrate that patient-reported Patient-Report Outcomes Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) data will be able to detect differences in symptoms between participants treated witheribulin mesylate (eribulin) and standard weekly paclitaxel at 12 weeks. II. To validate rs7349683 in EPHA5 as a predictor of peripheral neuropathy from treatment with a microtubule targeting agent (i.e., eribulin or paclitaxel). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare overall survival, progression free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), and time to treatment failure (TTF) in patients receiving eribulin versus standard weekly paclitaxel. II. To compare the 12 month rate of disease progression in patients receiving eribulin versus standard weekly paclitaxel. III. To evaluate the clinical value and feasibility of collecting patient-reported symptom toxicity information via the Patient-Report Outcomes Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). IV. To further validate the PRO-CTCAE sensory neuropathy items. V. To compare patient reported neurotoxicity between arms using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 (CIPN20) instrument. VI. To assess the toxicities in patients receiving eribulin versus standard weekly paclitaxel. CORRELATIVE OBJECTIVES: I. To compare new metastasis free survival in patients receiving eribulin versus standard weekly paclitaxel. II. To explore the relationship between common single nucleotide polymorphisms in FGD4, FZD3, and VAC14 as predictors of peripheral neuropathy from treatment with a microtubule targeting agent (i.e., eribulin or paclitaxel). III. To evaluate circulating nucleosomes and the apoptosis associated M30 neo-epitope as potential biomarkers associated with clinical benefit from treatment with eribulin specifically or the microtubule dynamics inhibitors in general. VI. To evaluate tubulin isotype expression, mutations, and signaling pathway modifications in tumor tissue as potential biomarkers associated with clinical benefit from treatment with eribulin specifically or the microtubule dynamics inhibitors in general. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM A: Patients receive eribulin mesylate intravenously (IV) over 2-5 minutes on days 1 and 8. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM B: Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 1 hour on days 1, 8, and 15. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 12 weeks.